The Governor of Malleco Province, Guillermo Pirce and General Christian Franzani visiting the scene on June 11th, 2017

*News in development*

Two Mapuche land defenders were killed last night at the hands of Chilean police after an alleged action on the large landed estate of El Encino in the Township of Los Sauces, nearby the city of Angol in southern Chile, on the evening Saturday June 10th.

According to news reports, five unknown individuals entered the large landed estate owned by Chilean Police Captain, Ignacio Gallegos Pereira, when the officer opened fire. 24 year old Weichafe [Warrior] Luis Humberto Marileo Cariqueo, and 23 year old Weichafe Patricio Gabriel González Guajardo, were killed in the police shooting.

Christian Frazani, regional General of Arauco, states that Gallegos used a hunting rifle and a short range pistol to “confront the assailants,” who died at the scene, with a third allegedly escaping while injured.

Meanwhile, there has been an out-pour of grief and outrage in Mapuche community and resistance groups. “Our brother[s] carry with them a long history of struggle in their territories, fulfilling their historic duties as young Mapuche in the face ongoing oppression. As Weichafe they had been continuously persecuted and prosecuted by the Chilean State. We recognize [our] brother[s] as martyrs of the Mapuche people in the millennial struggle for liberation… against estate owners, the rich, and the state who are the enemies of our Mapuche people.”

Distributed by: The Women’s Coordinating Committee for a Free Wallmapu